Refresh
This was the second Vingegaard launched his assault, having been arrange by Jorgenson. Ciccone was initially in a position to comply with, however should have gone too deep as later pale into the bigger chase group behind.
Replace on inner tensions at UAE Group Emirates – Almeida doesn’t sound pleased with the way in which he was supported at the moment! He says he was ‘lacking’ his teammates, and laments how ‘no one was with [him] in the long run’. He cannot have been pleased with the way in which Ayuso sat up on the backside of the climb.
Vingegaard says within the post-race interview that the assault from himself and his teammates weren’t premeditated, however spontaneous, because of feeling he had very sturdy legs.
Vingegaard, Almeida and Pidcock at the moment are 2nd, third and 4th on GC – however Torstein Træen nonetheless leads. He’ll go into the remaining day with a 37 second lead, having dug deep to restrict his losses on the ultimate climb.
He did so with some assist from his obvious rival staff Visma-Lease a Bike. Possibly they needed to assist the Norwegian maintain the pink jersey so that they wouldn’t need to defend it for Vingegaard within the coming days?
Much less stunning was Almeida’s efficiency. He powered up the climb in his common diesel fashion, and although he couldn’t comply with the preliminary transfer from Vingegaard, a lack of solely 24 seconds isn’t dangerous. He stays very a lot in competition for the pink jersey.
The one riders to lose lower than a minute to Vingegaard had been Almeida and Pidcock.
Visma-Lease a Bike and Vingegaard caught us all, and the riders, off guard there! That assault wasn’t predicted after they downplayed their ambitions in earlier days, saying they supposed to experience conservatively; as a substitute, Vingegaard has taken an enormous chunk of time over his rivals, and is now firmly in pole place for pink.
And simply behind him only a few second later comes a big group of GC males – together with Torstein Træen. His pink jersey is protected.
García Pierna is fifth, at 1:45.
Gall takes 4th place, 1:01 behind.
Pidcock takes 2nd place forward of Almeida, 25 seconds behind Vingegaard. They closed among the hole in that closing kilometre.
We now wait to see how a lot time he is gained.
VINGEGAARD WINS
1km to go for Vingegaard, who’s 30 seconds up on Almeida and Pidcock, and virtually 2 minutes up on the Ciccone group.
And from that group, García Pierna assaults.
Fortunato, Beloki, López and Raúl García Pierna are additionally within the Ciccone group.
Simply 2km left for Vingegaard, and his hole is getting greater, now as much as 30 seconds. He needs to be good for the stage win.
The group 10 seconds forward of Træen and a minute behind Pidcock and Almeida is a giant one. Ciccone, Hindley, Jorgenson, O’Connor, Bernal, Riccitello, Soler and Pellizzari are among the riders in it.
Kuss and Tulett are main the Træen group once more. It appears they’re blissful for him to maintain the pink jersey.
That is some experience by Pidcock to maintain up with Almeida’s tempo. Presumably the climbing efficiency of his profession.
Vingegaard has a wholesome lead of 25 seconds over the 2 chasers with 4.5km left to experience, however will that be sufficient as soon as the gradient eases off in direction of the highest?
Pidcock could be taking turns, however it’s not sufficient to maintain Almeida blissful. The Portuguese rider is remonstrating with him.
Pidcock is now aiding Almeida within the chase, and never simply hanging on. They’re 25 seconds behind Vingegaard, and a minute forward of the Træen group.
Træen is closing in on the group forward, which accommodates Ciccone, Jorgenson, Hindley and another GC contenders.
Now Træen is being left to do the pace-setting. He is 1:18 behind Vingegaard – over half of his lead on GC.
Torstein Træen is remoted, however is definitely in a gaggle being paced by Kuss and one other Visma rider – whose teammate, Vingegaard, is the person who stands to take the pink jersey from him.
Almeida’s tempo claims one other sufferer, as Gall is dropped.
All of Lidl’s work all through the day seems to have been in useless.
Ciccone seems to have been each caught and dropped by Almeida, Gall and Pidcock.
Almeida’s tempo is dropping among the riders who had been initially in a position to comply with. Solely Pidcock and Gall are nonetheless with him.
Behind, Torstein Træen’s pink jersey is in peril – he is 39 seconds behind Vingegaard.
The Almeida-led chase is 10 seconds behind Vingegaard, with Ciccone someplace in between.
Vingegaard goes once more, and this time drops Ciccone!
10KM TO GO
Almeida has 7 riders with him – Bernal, Pidcock, Jorgenson, Riccitello, Pellizzari, Gall and Hindley
Now Almeida takes over, and ups the tempo.
UAE are main the chase within the peloton behind, with Vine main.
The place did that come from? A lot for ready for the second and third weeks, because the staff insisted the plan was.
And now the Dane makes his transfer! Ciccone is sticking to his wheel although.
VINGEGAARD ATTACKS
Jorgenson’s gone clear, with solely Vingegaard and Ciccone on his wheel.
Visma have made a transfer! Jorgenson ups the tempo all of the sudden.
After them is a line of about 5 Visma riders, amongst them Jonas Vingegaard.
A line of three Lidl riders lead – Verona, Bagioli and Ciccone.
It is nonetheless Lidl-Trek who lead the peloton, although minus Mads Pedersen, who has been dropped.
That is it, the catch is made. A high quality effort from the riders within the break, however the odds had been all the time in opposition to them.
Gaudu can be already dropped, one other who’s GC goals are over.
The catch is about to be made, simply as they begin the climb.
VALDEZCARAY
Juan Ayuso has been dropped out of the peloton. As he did yesterday, the Spaniard is making an attempt to lose time to provide himself extra leeway to get into future breakaways. Unclear how his teammate and GC chief Almeida thinks about that.
The peloton can see the break now, simply 10 seconds forward of them.
Slock has been dropped by the opposite 4 escapees on the foothills of the mountain.
There is a crash within the peloton, in direction of the entrance. Victor Guernalec went down, however fortunately appears to be like OK, and everybody managed to swerve round him.
The break hasn’t given up but, and may at the very least begin the climb nonetheless on the entrance of the race.
The break’s lead has dipped to under a minute.
20KM TO GO
We’re nearing the ultimate climb, the Valdezcaray ski station, on the high of which this stage will end. It’s an extended effort, lasting 13.2km, however with a median gradient of solely 5.2%, and ranges off in direction of the tip. Given the way in which the earlier more durable finishes have been raced, we should not anticipate too many GC fireworks, however it will likely be a struggle and time may very well be gained and misplaced.
The break has made it to the intermediate dash, nevertheless, the place Slock takes the highest factors uncontested.
The hole’s come down some extra, to 1:15. The stage is unquestionably going to somebody within the peloton.
30KM TO GO
David Gaudu has had a mechanical. Regardless of trying nice earlier within the Vuelta, and successful the stage, he was dumped out of GC competition on the summit end two days in the past, and now lies in forty first at 19:15.
The peloton at first of the day, the place there have been pro-Palestine protests.
That is dangerous for Mads Pedersen, who solely has a slender lead within the factors classification, and will come beneath risk from the GC males now there are many mountainous phases developing.
There’s an intermedaite dash developing in about 5km. There are solely factors on provide for the primary 5 riders, so are set to be all taken by the break with no dash within the peloton.
Kuss is again within the peloton after his mechanical.
The hole between the leaders and peloton is coming down slowly however absolutely. It is not all the way down to 1:45.
40KM TO GO
The tempo being set by Lidl and Q36.5 is fast sufficient to string the peloton out in a single lengthy line.
Mechanical for Sepp Kuss, who’s making his method again into the peloton.
Although it has ceased, the rain has left the roads trying dangerously moist. The riders must watch out, though there’s no large descents to need to navigate at the moment.
It may not be raining in the intervening time, however trying on the sky suggests extra showers are to return. Extra threatening clouds are looming over the peloton.
The hole stays regular, at just below two minutes.
50KM TO GO
Regardless of his makes an attempt to get into the break earlier, this was by no means going to be a day for Mads Pedersen, who has, in opposition to expectations, gone winless to this point on the Vuelta. He stays hopeful, although, and is eying up alternatives within the phases to return.
‘All we are able to do is look forward’ – Mads Pedersen winless however nonetheless on the hunt at Vuelta a España
The peloton’s introduced the break a little bit nearer, to 2:10. The break’s likelihood is trying slim.
60KM TO GO
Michel Hessmann is representing Movistar within the break. The staff have endured a troublesome dwelling Grand Tour to this point, with no GC candidate and never getting near a stage win but. Hessmann will attempt to put that proper at the moment.
Nearly as shortly because it started, the rain has now stopped. That was a heavy, however fortunately transient, bathe.
The heavens have certainly opened, and it’s raining closely on the riders.
The hole’s remained the identical for some time, at round 2:30.
70KM TO GO
The riders are at present ascending some steep roads on yet one more undulation, an instance of how this stage is tougher than the official recognition of simply the one categorised climb suggests.
Darkish clouds are looming on the horizon. The heavens might open sooner or later through the day.
The best ranked rider on GC within the break is Kevin Vermaerke, down in fortieth at 17:29. Though a good climber, he may need been extra of a contender for the stage win on a punchier day.
The work from Q36.5 and Lidl-Trek has stored the 5 leaders to 2:35.
80KM TO GO
Nickolas Zukowsky is the Q36.5 rider serving to with the chase, aiding Lidl’s pair of Ghebreigzabhier and Hoole.
Q36.5 have additionally put a person on the entrance of the peloton to assist chase. Their chief Tom Pidcock is somebody who would even be a favorite within the occasion of a dash between a small group of favourites on the high of the summit end.
Lidl-Trek are main the peloton, with their ever-dependable workhorse Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier. This closing climb appears to be like supreme for his or her man Giulio Ciccone.
The break’s lead has elevated, as much as 2:30. They are going to wish to maintain it rising to have an opportunity of successful the stage.
90KM TO GO
Juan Ayuso didn’t get into the break regardless of being energetic earlier, however is within the information as rumours about him transferring to a brand new staff proceed to flow into.
Rumours of Juan Ayuso’s potential early exit from UAE Group Emirates-XRG re-emerge at Vuelta a España
Archie Ryan is an thrilling identify to see within the break. The 23-year-old has regarded good on his Grand Tour debut, additionally stepping into the break on stage 6 when he completed ninth, and has respectable climbing credentials for the end.
Pedersen and De Pestel had been all smiles earlier regardless of not bridging as much as the break.
Simply probably the most adorned rider within the break is Michał Kwiatkowski. On the Pole’s palmares are Tour de France phases, basic victories, and the World Championships – however by no means a stage on the Vuelta. He’s spent a lot of this race in a domestique position for sprinter Ben Turner, however has been given the liberty to chase private success at the moment.
The break aren’t being given a lot leeway, with Lidl-Trek main the peloton to maintain them at 1:45.
110KM TO GO
The 5 males up the highway.
Jonas Vingegaard was held up briefly by a mechanical, however is again within the bunch now.
The leaders have managed to develop their benefit a little bit extra, to 2 minutes, however the peloton hasn’t sat up.
The break’s lead hasn’t grown any extra in latest kilometers, plateauing at 1:45.
120KM TO GO
That pair is on a hiding to nothing, nevertheless, and have been introduced again.
Or can we? Some riders aren’t content material to surrender the ghost but – Mads Pedersen and Sander De Pestel have attacked out of the peloton.
In the end, we’ve got our break of the day.
That’s it, the elastic has snapped – the break’s lead is as much as over a minute and a half.
You may solely nearly make out the peloton within the background, because the break builds it is lead.
The 5 leaders are beginning to make some features. They’ve grown their result in over 30 seconds.
This five-man group is giving it a great shot, however nonetheless can’t get a lot of a lead. Proper now, they’re being stored at 20 seconds.
130KM TO GO
Vermaerke has made the juncture.
Kevin Vermaerke has attacked out of the peloton in an try and bridge as much as the leaders.
The 2 chasers have caught the 2 leaders, however the peloton are proper behind them.
Kwiatkowski and Ryan lead Hessmann and Slock by 10 seconds, and the peloton by 15 seconds. That is one thing of a spot, however it might all come again collectively but once more quickly.
140KM TO GO
Slock and Hessmann have set off in pursuit of the 2 leaders.
Extra riders had been chasing behind however at the moment are again within the peloton.
That duo’s lead is rising – it’s now as much as 25 seconds.
Kwiatkowski and Ryan have a spot of some seconds.
The riders have spent a lot of the day going progressively uphill, and have simply reached what’s the highest level of the stage previous to the ultimate climb. They are going to now descend for a short while.
150KM TO GO
For an thought of what it’s been like throughout this primary hour of racing, right here’s one of many many tried strikes, the ache on the riders’ faces illustrating simply how relentless a begin it’s been as attackers maintain making an attempt, and failing, to kind a break.
Extra strikes coming thick and quick, however no one could make something stick.
Right here’s the group that includes Stefan Küng that attempted to go clear earlier.
No, they gained’t – they’ve been introduced again by the peloton.
A few riders have a little bit of a spot – can they succeed the place others have failed?
160KM TO GO
The riders are passing by the feed zone, the race nonetheless not having settled down.
Whereas we look ahead to a break to kind, right here’s what Matteo Jorgenson needed to say about his Visma-Lease a Bike’s technique at this Vuelta, and the way they’re ready till the second and third weeks to strike.
‘It is only a safer play’ – Matteo Jorgenson dampens expectations of fireworks by Visma-Lease a Bike earlier than second half of Vuelta a España
They have been racing for over half an hour, however nonetheless no signal of a break forming.
170KM TO GO
Nonetheless the race stays collectively, no assaults succeeding in going clear since that 4man transfer.
All these attackers are bruoght again, and the race is as you had been.
Three extra riders are chasing behind making an attempt to hitch them.
We now have 4 riders up the highway – Kung, Labrosse, Segaert and Slot. They’ve solely received a lead of about 10 seconds although.
180KM TO GO
Three riders have a small hole, however the peloton is bearing down on them.
Nonetheless no break has shaped. The highway goes uphill, so the terrain is conducive to strikes going away, however none have managed to to this point.
The race continues to be all collectively.
190KM TO GO
Now we’ve got some motion, with some riders making an attempt to go clear, however they have been introduced again.
No signal but of a break going clear. It’s been a surprisingly subdued begin to this point.
It’s a heat day on the market, with the temperature at 28 levels.
And so they’re off!
OFFICIAL START
We’re only a few minutes away from the official begin. Some riders will probably be bracing themselves to make an early transfer, in what may very well be a aggressive battle to get into the day’s break.
The scene at first.
In actual fact, aside from the end, there isn’t a single categorised climb all day.
Whereas the stage finishes with an extended class one climb, the roads earlier than it are undulating moderately than hilly, which means non-climbers might get into the day’s break.
The riders are on the transfer now, making their method by the neutralised zone.
For extra about at the moment’s parcours and its end at Valdezcaray, you should definitely learn our stage preview.
Vuelta a España 2025 stage 9 preview – Summit end favours breakaway
Here is a reminder of what occurred yesterday, if you happen to missed it:
Vuelta a España stage 8: Jasper Philipsen claims second stage victory in chaotic dash
‘It is painful’ – Slender loss adopted by dash relegation brings double heartbreak for teary Elia Viviani at Vuelta a España
On the playing cards at the moment is one other summit end.
Might this be the tip of Torstein Træen’s time in pink? With the 9 riders behind him solely separated by a handful of seconds, we’re definitely anticipating some type of GC motion at the moment.
Welcome!
Hiya and welcome to Cyclingnews’ reside protection of stage 9 of the Vuelta a España! We’ll be retaining you throughout every thing that occurs through the stage.
